Spectator seating



March 27, 1962 G. E. SCHAEFER ETAL 3,027,190

SPECTATOR SEATING Filed Aug. 4, 1958 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 V EN TORS,

March 27, 1962 G SCHAEFER ETAL 3,027,190

SPECTATOR SEATING Filed Aug. 4, 1958 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 I VENTORS, gw wm United states Patent 3,027,196 Patented Mar. 27, 1962 Filed Aug. 4, 1958, Ser. No. 752,847 7 Claims. (Cl. 297-232) This invention relates to seating of the type that may be utilized for accommodating spectators at sporting events and the like.

It is a general object of the invention to provide a new and improved seating structure which is simple to manufacture, assemble and install, which is sturdy and durable, and which is extremely flexible and versatile and readily adaptable to various types of installations.

Another object is to provide a new and improved settee for use in a bowling alley or the like by either bowlers or spectators, including a plurality of separate and interchangeable seat units, together with a plurality of separate and interchangeable leg units for supporting and connecting the seat units.

A further object is to provide a new and improved leg unit of the type described in the preceding paragraph.

Other objects and advantages wil become readily apparent from the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of a seating structure embodying the principles of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged vertical sectional view taken about the line 2-2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary front elevational View of the seating illustrated in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a vertical sectional view taken about the line 4- of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view on about the line 5-5 of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken at about the line 6-6 of FIG. 4;

FIG. 7 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional View taken at about the line 77 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 8 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken at about the line 8-8 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 9 is an enlarged sectional view, partly broken away, taken at about the line 9-9 of FIG. 2; and

FIG. 10 is a sectional view taken about the line ill-l0 of FIG. 9.

While an illustrative embodiment of the invention is shown in the drawings and will be described in detail herein, the invention is susceptible of embodiment in many different forms, and it should be understood that the present disclosure is to be considered as an exemplification of the principles of the invention and is not intended to limit the invention to the embodiment illustrated. The scope of the invention will be pointed out in the appended claims.

Referring now to the drawings in more detail, as illustrated, the invention is embodied in a seating structure illustrated as an assembly in FIG. 1 and including a plurality of seat units Ilia, 16b, 10c and film, a plurality of leg units Illa, 11b, 11c and 11d, a plurality of shelf units 12a, 12b, 12c, and 12d, and means which will be described for holding the various parts in assembled condition.

As will appear, the seat units 10a, 10b, ltlc and 10d may all be identical in their essential inventive characteristics, and for this reason only one of the seat units will be described in complete detail. Each seat unit comprises a lower seat portion 15, and an upper or rear upright back portion 16. The seat portion 15 has downwardly directed side flanges l7, and the back portion 16 has rearwardly directed side flanges 18, both sets of flanges 17 and 13 being utilized in assembling and holding the parts of the seating structure together. At the front of the seat portion 15 there is also provided a downwardly directed finishing flange i9, and a similar rearwardly directed flange 20 is provided at the top of the back portion 16. The flanges l7, l3, l9 and 24) are all joined, as the seat unit is a one-piece construction, preferably molded of reinforced plastic. The seat units It) may all be identical, that is, with parallel side edges on the seat portions, as illustrated, so that when assembled the seat units provide a substantially straight row of seating. Alternatively, in order to provide a straight row of seating with a curve therein, some of the seat units, particularly the seat portions of the units, may be tapered in a front to rear direction. Or, all of the seat units could be tapered to provide a continuously curving row of seating, all these alternatives falling within the scope of this invention.

Leg units 11 for supporting and joining the seat units it are all identical in construction, regardless of whether the seat units provide straight or curved rows of seating, and accordingly only a single leg unit will be described in complete detail. The leg units each comprise an integral structure including a front leg 25 inclined somewhat rearwardly and upwardly, a rear leg 26 inclined for- Wardly and upwardly, and a connecting cross piece 27 which extends in a forwardly and upwardly inclined direction and joins upper ends of the legs 25 and 26. Preferably, the leg structure 25, 26, 27 is comprised of tubular metal formed as desired. Lower ends of the legs 25 and 26 each are provided with a shoe 28 for attaching the legs to a floor or other supporting foundation.

In order to provide for attachment of the leg units to the seat units, each leg unit cross piece 27 includes a pair of upwardly directed spaced parallel side flanges 29 which are preferably provided by an upwardly facing U-shaped bracket suitably welded to the cross piece 27 as at 39 (FIG. 5). As will appear, each of the upwardly directed flanges 29 on the crosspiece 27 is provided with suitable bolt holes to facilitate attachment of the leg unit to seat units. As will be understood, the leg units are preferably of a metal construction suitably finished to provide an attractive appearance consonant with the gaily colored plastic which may be utilized in molding the seat units.

Shelf units 12 are provided one beneath each of the seat units it and as in the case of seat units, the shelf units may or may not be identical in shape depending on whether the seat units are all alike to provide a straight row of seating or whether some of the seats as well as shelf units are tapered to provide a curved row of seating. The shelf units are preferably constructed of a similar material and in a similar manner of molded reinforced plastic such as that utilized in the seat units. Each shelf unit comprises a lower shelf portion 35 and an upwardly directed back portion 36. The shelf portion 35 has upwardly directed side flanges 37, and the back portion 36 of the shelf has forwardly directed side flanges 38, the flanges being utilized in supporting the shelving as will appear. It should be understood that the shelving is entirely an optional feature with the seating, as this may be omitted or included as desired without altering the essential characteristics of the remaining portions of the structure. The shelving will be employed most frequently when the seating structure is utilized as a settee for accommodating bowlers immediately adjacent the bowling area, as the shelves are conveniently adapted for supporting shoes and the like. When the seating is utilized in other areas, removed from the bowling line, or in connection with other events than bowling, the shelving may be omitted.

In an assembled seating structure as illustrated in MG. 1, seat units 1th are positioned immediately adjacent each other, and at the joints between adjacent seat units side flanges 17 on the seat portions 15 of adjacent units are abutting as seen best in FIGS. and 7, and the side flan es 18 on the back portions 16 of the adjacent seat units also abut as seen in FIG. 8. At the joints between adjacent seat units, rearwardly directed flanges 18 on the back portions 16 of adjacent seat units are rigidly secured together as by means of a pair of bolt and nut means indicated generally at 40 (FIG. 2) and including a screw 41 (FIG. 8) and a nut 42. As each of the seat units are identical and as rear flanges 13 on each of the units are provided with suitable holes therethrough for receiving the bolt means 40, and as the exposed outer side of the end seat unit will not be joined to an adjacent unit, the holes through the rear flange 18 may be closed by suitable fillers seen at 43 (FIG. 4), including a screw and nut (FIG. 8) similar to that utilized at 4%).

At the joints between adjacent seat units, downwardly directed abutting side flanges 17 of adjacent seat units, as seen at the upper right hand corner of FIG. 5, are receivable between the upwardly directed flanges 29 on leg unit cross piece '27. In order to securely join the flanges 17 and the flanges 29, at the front of the flanges 2?, a bolt 45 is passed through all four flanges, the bolt having a head 45a, and carrying suitable washers 45b and a locking nut at 46. Adjacent the rear of flanges 29, these flanges are joined to the seat flanges 17 by a similar bolt 48 of somewhat greater length, having a head 43a, this bolt in addition to connecting the flanges 17 and 29, also serving to support adjacent shelf units 12 by also passing through the forwardly directed side flanges 33 on the back portions of adjacent shelf units. In order to facilitate this mounting of the shelf units, the bolt 48 carries spacers 49 which are fitted on the bolt at opposite sides of the flanges 29, after which the bolt passes through side flanges 38 on the shelf units and is secured by a nut 50, there being suitable Washers as at 5001. At the lower front portions of shelves 12, upwardly directed side flanges 37 of adjacent shelves are secured to the intermediate front leg 25 as by a bolt 55 illustrated at the lower right hand corner of FIG. 5, including a head as at 55a, and carrying suitable washers as at 55b and a locking nut as at 55c. At the joint between adjacent seat units, at the forward edges of the seat portions, downwardly directed abutting flanges 17 of adjacent seat portions are secured together as by bolt means 57 (FIG. 2) seen in FIG. 7 as including a bolt 58 having a head 58a and a nut 58b. At all of the joints between adjacent abutting seat units, the seat units are secured together, the shelf units are supported, and the leg units are attached to seats and shelves in the manner just described above. It will be noted that this construction and arrangement makes use of a single unitary leg unit at each joint for supporting portions of two adjacent seat units and shelf units.

At the outer exposed edge of the shelf unit at the end of a row of seating, the forward portion of the shelf unit is supported as seen in the lower left hand corner of FIG. 5, that is, by means of a bolt as at 6%) having a head 60a seated in a socket in leg 25, carrying a suitable spacer as at 6012 and having a suitable nut as at 6hr.

At the end of a row of seating, the exposed outer side edge of the end seat unit ill, such as the unit ltla, including the downwardly directed side flange 17 is supported, as at abutting joints with adjacent seats, by means of the upwardly directed flanges 29 of the leg unit cross piece 27. However, as seen in the upper left hand corner of FIG. 5, only one flange 17 is positioned between the spaced upright flanges 29 on the leg unit, rather than two flanges 17 as at the joints seen at the right of FIG. 5. Accordingly, a spacer 65 is utilized between the flanges 29 with the outside seat flange 17. As seen in H6. 5, near the forward edge of the flanges 29, these flanges are socured to the seat flange 17 by means of a belt or screw 66 having a head 66a, and a nut 66b, the bolt passing through the flanges 29, the spacer 65, and the seat flange 17. Adjacent the rear edges of the upright flanges 29 on the leg unit, these flanges are secured to the seat unit flange 17 by a somewhat longer bolt 68 having a head 68a, a nut 63b and a spacer 680 for accommodating the forwardly directed side flange 38 on the underlying shelf unit. In order to provide a finished appearance for the seating structure, a finishing bracket 7-0 is attached to the leg unit cross piece 27 and the upright flanges 29 by means of the bolts 66 and 68 just described. The bolts pass through upper portions of finishing bracket 70 while a curved lower portion 70a of the bracket engages a half section of the cross piece 27, and an inwardly directed flange 7% at the upper edge of the finishing bracket abut the seat flange 17.

At the end of a row of seating, the exposed outer side of the seat portion 15 of a seat unit as at ltla, at the forward edge, is reinforced as by means of a cantilever (PEG. 4) having its rear end secured to the upstanding flanges 29 on leg unit cross piece 27 as by the bolts 66 and 68, and extending forwardly to a position immediately adjacent the juncture of the downwardly directed flange l9 and the exposed side flange 17. At the forward end, the cantilever is secured to the seat unit side flange 17 as by bolts means 76 (FIG. 4) illustrated in detail in FIG. 7 as including a bolt 77 having a head 77a, a nut 77]) and suitable washer or spacer means as at 77c.

Preferably, the seating as described above is secured to a floor or other supporting structure by means of the shoes 28 previously referred to and illustrated in detail in FIGS. 9 and 10. Preferably, the shoes are attached to suitably anchored, previously located reception means such as fixed threaded sleeve 80 (FIG. 10). The shoe includes a bracket 31 somewhat rectangular in plan view as seen in FIG. 9 but somewhat irregular in elevation as seen in FIG. 10. The bracket 81 includes an inclined portion 81a through which a screw 82 is passed and threaded into the lower end of a leg such as that at 25. An end portion 81b of the bracket is formed with an enlarged opening 81c therethrough to facilitate the passing of a screw 83 through the bracket portion 81b and into the receptacle 8% even though the receptacle or the seating structure leg be somewhat out of position. In order to facilitate attachment as described in case of mislocations as referred to, a washer 84 is received on the screw 83, the washer including an elongated somewhat oval slot 84a therethrough, as seen in FIG. 9, having a width sulficient to pass the shank of the screw 83 and having a length sufficient to permit a substantial adjustment of the screw 83 for the purposes described.

In order to provide a neat appearance, the attaching bracket 81 is preferably covered and enclosed by a cap 85 having a suitable opening as at 85a receiving the lower end portion of a leg such as that at 25, and having a central portion secured as by means of a screw 86, to the mounting bracket 81 to retain the cover in position.

We claim:

1. A seating structure, comprising, a plurality of seat units each having downwardly directed side flanges, said seat units being positionable side by side to provide a row of seating with side flanges of adjacent units abutting, to provide joints therebetween, a plurality of leg units each including a front leg, a rear leg, a connecting crosspiece and upwardly directed side flanges on the crosspiece, means for attaching the side flanges of certain of the leg units respectively to both side flanges of adjacent seat units at rear portions of the joints, bolt means directly connecting side flanges of adjacent seat units at forward portions of the joints, means for attaching the side flanges of two other leg units respectively to rear portions of the exposed outer side flanges of seat units at the ends of the row, a pair of cantilevers secured respectively to the crosspieces of the two last recited leg units and extending forwardly therefrom, and bolts for attaching the forward ends of the cantilevers respectively to the forward ends of the exposed outer side flanges of the two end seat units.

2. A seating structure, comprising, a plurality of onepiece seat units each having downwardly directed side flanges, said seat units being positionable side by side to provide a row of seating with side flanges of adjacent units abutting, means for joining and supporting said seat units including a plurality of one-piece leg units each including a front leg, a rear leg, a crosspiece connecting upper ends of the legs, and an upwardly directed side flange on the crosspiece, two of said leg units positioned with the side flanges thereon respectively adjacent the exposed outer side flanges of the seat units at opposite ends of the row, the other of said leg units positioned respectively at each pair of abutting downwardly directed side flanges with the side flange of each leg unit adjacent the side flanges of adjacent seat portions, a plurality of molded one-piece shelf units, one positioned beneath each seat unit, each including a lower shelf portion having upwardly directed side flanges and an upright back portion having forwardly directed side flanges, means for securing the upwardly directed shelf flanges respectively to the front legs of adjacent leg units, and a common bolt means for securing the side flange of each crosspiece, the abutting downwardly directed seat unit side flanges and the adjacent forwardly directed shelf unit flange.

3. A seating structure, comprising, a plurality of seat units arranged side by side to thereby provide a row of seating, a plurality of legs units each including a front leg, a rear leg and a crosspiece connecting the legs, one of said leg units being positioned at each pair of adjacent side edges of adjacent seat units, two of said leg units being positioned respectively at the exposed outer side edges of the seat units at opposite ends of the row, means securing rear portions of each pair of adjacent side edges of adjacent seat units to the crosspiece of the associated leg unit, means securing forward portions of adjacent sides of adjacent seat units together, means securing rear portions of the exposed outer side edges of the seat units at opposite ends of the row respectively to the crosspieces of associated leg units, a cantilever secured to the crosspiece of the leg unit at each end of the row and extending forwardly therefrom, and means securing forward portions of the exposed outer side edges of the seat units at opposite ends of the row respectively to the forward ends of the cantilevers.

4. A molded one-piece shelf unit for attachment to a seating structure, comprising, a generally flat lower shelf portion, an integral back portion extending upwardly from the rear of the shelf portion, integral upright flanges at opposite sides of the shelf portion, and integral forwardly extending flanges at opposite sides of the back portion joined respectively with the upright side flanges, said side flanges having openings therethrongh facilitating attachment of the unit to a seating structure.

5. A chair, comprising, a seat unit having downwardly directed side flanges, a pair of leg units each including a front leg, a rear leg, a crosspiece connecting upper ends of the legs and an uppwerdly directed side flange on the crosspiece, said leg units being positioned with the side flanges thereon disposed respectively adjacent the side flanges on the seat unit, a shelf unit positioned beneath the seat unit between the leg units including a lower shelf portion having side flanges respectively adjacent the front legs and an upper back portion having side flanges respectively adjacent the seat unit side flanges, means securing the lower shelf unit flanges respectively to the front legs, and a common bolt means at each side of the chair securing the adjacent seat unit flange, crosspiece flange and shelf unit flange together.

6. A seating structure, comprising, a plurality of molded one-piece seat units each including a seat portion and an upright back portion, said seat portions each having downwardly directed flanges at opposite sides thereof, said upright back portions each having rearwardly directed side flanges, said seat units being arranged side by side with adjacent downwardly directed and rearwardly directed side flanges of adjacent units abutting each other thereby providing a continuous row of seating,

means securing abutting rearwardly directed side flanges of adjacent back portions together, a plurality of preformed one-piece tubular metal leg units each including a relatively tall front leg, a shorter rear leg and a crosspiece connecting the upper ends of the legs, a mounting bracket on each crosspiece including a laterally extending flange welded on the top of the crosspiece and an integral upright flange at one side of the laterally extending flange, two of said leg units being positioned respectively at the exposed outer downwardly extending side flanges of the seat portions at opposite ends of the row with such side flanges overlying the respective lateral flanges of associated mounting brackets, one leg unit being positioned at each pair of abutting side flanges "with such side flanges overlying the lateral flange of the associated mounting bracket, means securing each of said two exposed outer side flanges to the upright flange of the associated mounting bracket, and means securing each pair of adjacent side flanges to the upright flange of the associated mounting bracket.

7. A seating structure, comprising, a plurality of seat units arranged side by side to thereby provide a row of seating with side edges of adjacent seat units adjacent each other and with outer side edges of the seat units at opposite ends of the row exposed, each unit including a seat portion with downwardly directed side flanges and a back rest portion, an upright supporting flange secured to rear portions only of each pair of adjacent side flanges of adjacent seat portions, an upright supporting flange secured to rear portions: only of each of the exposed outer side flanges of the seat portions at opposite ends of the row, means securing adjacent side edges of adjacent back rest portions together, means securing forward portions of adjacent side flanges of adjacent seat portions together, a cantilever having a rear end portion secured to said flange supporting the exposed outer side edge of the seat portion at each end of the row and extending forwardly therefrom, and means securing forward portions of the exposed outer side flanges of the seat portions at opposite ends of the row respectively to the forward ends of the cantilevers.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,657,285 Siskin Jan. 24, 1928 1,842,054 Sobel Jan. 19, 1932 2,311,482 Smith Feb. 16, 1943 2,588,417 Schlandermundt et a1. Mar. 11, 1952 2,675,863 Lee Apr. 20, 1954 2,783,829 Hoven et a1 Mar. 5, 1957 FOREIGN PATENTS 468,788 France May 2, 1914 255,912 Great Britain Aug. 5, 1926 866,991 Germany Feb. 12, 1953 786,497 Great Britain Nov. 20, 1957 

